SAN FRANCISCO – COLORADO’s John Souza was named the Pac-12 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2017-18 season, the Conference office announced today. The award, which is presented in each of the 24 sports the Pac-12 sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.

Souza, who hails from Phoenix, Ariz., becomes the first Buffalo to be named Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s golf. He carries a 3.32 grade point average as an Economics major (minor in Communications). A three-year letterman, Souza earned Golf All-America Team honors as in junior in 2016-17. He’s played in 88 career rounds (73.53 stroke average), posting par or better in 31 rounds, while finishing among the top 20 nine times in his career.

Souza and his fellow CU teammates will compete at the Pac-12 Men’s Golf Championship Monday, April 23 – Wednesday, April 25 at Rolling Hills Country Club, Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. Pac-12 Networks will cover the championship with a recap show that will air Sunday, April 29 at 6 p.m. PT.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50% of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in the voting for the award.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12’s 24 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s lacrosse, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling.

Also Nominated: George Cunningham, Arizona (3.04, Economy and Industry-General Studies); Jonas Liebich, Oregon State (3.48, Finance); Frank Garber, Washington (3.31, Atmospheric Sciences: Meteorology)